EU Struggles to Turn Outrage Into Action After Plane Shootdown

European leaders vented their outrage at the shooting down of a passenger jet over territory held by Ukraine’s rebels and at Russian President Vladimir Putin for frustrating the investigation. Translating that anger into action is another matter.

The killing of all 298 passengers and crew of Malaysia Air MH17, desecrated bodies strewn about grain fields with rebels hampering the work of international rescue workers, and denunciations of Putin for sowing Ukraine’s underlying chaos don’t alter the economic links and energy dependence that make the European Union more reluctant than the U.S. to punish Russia.